In response to concerns, Watertown could create oversight body for biotech labs

Angela Thoma

Friday

Sep 14, 2018 at 3:01 AM

The Watertown Town Council is considering creating a biotech oversight committee in response to laboratory regulation concerns. These concerns arose in response to developers requesting to modify the second floor of Arsenal Yards’ Building A, from commercial office/retail use to a combination of office and lab space.

At the council’s last meeting in August, Watertown resident Elodia Thomas told the council that she felt Watertown fell short in comparison to surrounding communities when it came to regulating laboratories. She brought up concerns regarding the LINX property at 490 Arsenal St.

On July 22, 2015, LINX received a special permit from the town to use their building for “business office and light industrial use greater than 4,000 square feet.” LINX is currently using that space as biosafety level two lab space. The town does not require LINX to undergo another special permit process for developing the lab space because it falls into the “business office and light industrial use” category under the town's land use rules. This lack of distinction between office use and lab use concerned Thomas.

Federal rules define biosafety level two as suitable for work involving agents of moderate potential hazard to personnel and the environment. This includes various microbes that cause mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting.

Labs face heavy regulations

District A Councilor Angeline Kounelis also expressed concern about this issue at Tuesday’s meeting.

“When a large development, such as LINX, is perceived to be office use and mid-term changes to laboratory use, we owe it to the residents to make everyone aware,” she said.

Director of Community Development and Planning Steve Magoon addressed Thomas’ concern in a letter he sent to the council.

In the letter, Magoon confirmed that many of the communities surrounding Watertown, including Boston, Cambridge, Waltham, and Lexington, did have a greater level of local oversight than in Watertown. He said this often took the form of a Biosafety Committee, which assists these communities' local Public Health entities in the review and permitting of labs, and the establishment of a permitting and review process under their Health Departments or Commissions.

In his letter, Magoon also noted that labs are heavily regulated beyond the local level, and that a number of local checks and balances on labs do exist in Watertown’s zoning and permitting bylaws. He went on to describe these zoning and permit ordinance.

The Watertown zoning ordinance generally allows laboratories in industrial districts and special zoning districts like the Regional Mixed Use District and Pleasant Street Corridor District, by special permit with site plan review.

Magoon also described multiple local and state permits and inspections required of laboratory users. These range from fire inspections, to building and plumbing permits, to registration for any hazardous waste generation.

Oversight committee suggested

In his letter, Magoon told the council that he and other municipal officials plan to discuss the establishment of a biotech oversight committee at the next Board of Health meeting on Sept. 24. Magoon will report the results of this discussion to the council.

During the meeting, Sideris said Watertown fell short in comparison to surrounding communities when it came to regulating labs. However he also noted that the biotech industry can be a good thing for Watertown. He said it can bring good-paying jobs to the community, as well as other economic benefits, such as additional foot traffic to local restaurants and stores. According to a recent study by the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, jobs in the biopharma industry have increased by 28 percent over the past 10 years, hitting 69,941 in 2017 from the 54,280 recorded in 2008. Those nearly 70,000 workers earned an average annual wage of $145,731.

“I want the town of Watertown not to discourage this type of use,” he said, “but to have some oversight to see what we are doing.”

Sideris says the council is beginning to address what everyone feels is a bit of a lack of oversight on these labs. He hopes to have more information in the coming weeks after the Health Department meeting.